Dozens of fires ignite

Utah felt the heat of more than two dozen summer fires Thursday that closed down roads and highways and even a runway at Salt Lake International Airport.

Firefighters scrambled to respond to more than 25 fires that were spread rapidly by windstorms blowing across Utah, Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis, Juab, Sanpete and Weber counties. Gusts up to 66 mph pushed wildfires toward buildings and forced the closure of I-80 between Bangerter Highway and Wright Brothers Drive for about an hour around 8:30 p.m.

"Most of the fires have been going since this morning," said Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman Erin Darboven. "We have a lot of vegetation with the spring moisture, and now we're getting the ignition. We're stretched pretty thin tonight."

Firefighters worked throughout the day to contain the fires, including the widespread Big Pole fire, which had consumed 22,400 acres in Tooele County and caused structural damage. Some 30,000 acres had been consumed by the fires, which firefighters were working to contain late into the night. No injuries to firefighters or civilians had been reported as of Thursday night.

A fire that burned through an area along 700 South from Bangerter to the west part of the airport destroyed what firefighters believe was a golf course restroom. Firefighters expected to have it mostly contained by 1 a.m. today.

Barbara Gann, spokeswoman for the Salt Lake Department of Airports, said 17 flights were diverted from the airport due to high winds. At midnight, she said many were returning to the airport and that about 200 travellers were expected to be at the airport overnight.

"We've had no reports of traffic accidents," said Salt Lake firefighter Mark Bednarik. "That's why we closed down I-80. A lot of smoke was blowing across. We also closed down Bangerter for a while."

The fire also threatened several residential and commercial properties, damaging one structure and destroying four outbuildings. Firefighters evacuated several ranches in Skull Valley, 12 miles out of Grantsville, and state Route 196 to Dugway Proving Ground was closed for fire operations.

Due to spreading fires, National Forest Service spokeswoman Kathy Jo Pollock said, all National Forest lands located on Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in the Stansbury Mountain Range in Tooele County would be closed.

"The winds are just playing havoc," Pollock said. "The wind is supposed to change directions tomorrow (Friday)."